The present invention relates primarily to fluid shut-off valves and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically shutting off fluid flow in a supply line when an abnormal amount of fluid flows through the supply line over a period of time. The invention is particularly useful in automatically shutting off fluid flow when a machine, hose, or pipe malfunctions or breaks. The invention responds to the excessive fluid flow by stopping fluid flow and thereby limits damage.
Homes, offices, factories and business have many appliances, machines, devices, and pipes that require the flow of fluids. For example, in homes and offices there are many devices that use water. These devices include sinks, toilets, sprinkler systems, water heaters, drinking fountains, coffee makers, and the like. Similarly, factories and businesses have an even greater variety of devices that rely on a water or fluid supply. In addition to devices that rely on a water supply, there are many devices that rely on other fluids such as gas, oil, fertilizers, insecticides, chemicals, and the like. The prior art teaches many ways to control and distribute fluids yet the problem of leaks remains.
Fluid leaks continue to be a major problem. Every year many millions of dollars in damage is caused from leaking pipes, machines, and devices. In a home even a small water leak can cause thousands of dollars in damage if it is not stopped quickly. When a homeowner is gone on vacation or if a vacation cabin is left unattended for weeks or months, even a small water leak can cause substantial damage. If the water leak is large, significant damage can be caused in a short amount of time. In a home it is not uncommon for leaks to occur in toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, pipes, and hoses. Factories and business face these problems and more.
Factories and businesses face additional leak problems since they use a wide variety of fluids and machines. They also use larger volumes of fluids that can cause more damage in less time. The fluid used in factories may also be more dangerous. The variety of fluids used in factories and businesses is numerous and includes chemicals, drugs, and petroleum products to name a few. The cost of the lost fluid itself can be substantial but the damage to facilities and human safety can be even greater.
Finally, another problem relates to power. Some solutions in the prior art rely on electrical power to operate an automatic shut-off device. These devices may work when there is a functioning power supply, but may not work well when the electrical power fails. When the power supply fails, the device maybe designed to automatically shut off. This may require resetting the device whenever there is a power interruption and may cause a loss of production, inconvenience, or the like. Some devices overcome this problem by having self contained electronics and power sources. These devices still require a change of batteries and also become non-functional if the electrical components fail. This also causes inconvenience, loss of production, and the like.
With concerns about fluid leaks many people and organizations are willing to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on solutions to this problem. Current solutions include fluid detectors, various automatic shut-off valves, sump pumps, or even hired staff to detect and report leaks. It is therefore advantageous to provide improved solutions to this problem.
Accordingly, a need exists for a new automatic shut-off valve and method that provides an alternative solution to the fluid leak problem. There exists a need for a solution that can be easily adapted to existing fluid/water systems and implemented in future systems. Further, there exists a need for a simple, stand alone, solution that can be scaled to work in the home, business, and industry. Finally, there exists a need for a solution that does not rely on electric power, batteries, or electronic circuits. Such an apparatus would reduce damage, reduce costs, improve safety, and enhance the state of mind of home owners and business owners that worry about fluid leaks. Therefore, an improved automatic fluid shut-off valve and method that provides the aforementioned advantages is desired.